Subaru Shopper Loyalty On KBB.com Soars With Strong Product Lineup, Upcoming Hybrid Model

Toyota Maintains No. 1 Spot for Six Consecutive Quarters; Hyundai, Kia Drop Due to Aging Lineups

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May 09, 2013, 05:00 ET

IRVINE, Calif., May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Subaru steadily climbed in www.kbb.com shopper loyalty for Q1 2013 to the No. 3 position, residing among the top three brands for the first time since Q4 2009, according to Kelley Blue Book, the leading provider of new and used car information.

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"As current Subaru owners prepare to off-load their current vehicle, it is easy to reconsider the brand as it offers a diverse lineup, including models that not only appeal to the everyday shopper like the all-new 2014 Forester, but also a sportier option like the BRZ," said Akshay Anand, Kelley Blue Book Insights analyst. "With Subaru's first-ever hybrid vehicle arriving at dealerships in Q4 2013, the 2014 XV Crosstrek Hybrid is expected to help the brand retain even more shoppers as its portfolio expands into hybrid technology."

KBB.com Shopper Loyalty*: Top Brands in Q1 2013

Brand	Percent
Toyota	53.6%
Honda	50.8%
Subaru	49.9%
Ford	49.3%
Lexus	46.3%
Hyundai	46.3%
Kia	43.4%
Chevrolet	42.9%
Audi	41.6%
Porsche	40.2%

*KBB.com defines shopper loyalty as new-car shoppers reconsidering their current vehicle brand for their next purchase.

Holding its ground as the No. 1 brand in terms of shopper loyalty for six consecutive quarters, Toyota held 53.6 percent its owners' interest in Q1 2013.

"Toyota's esteemed stance as the leading automaker in KBB.com shopper loyalty continues into Q1 2013 with help from the recently redesigned 2013 RAV4," said Anand. "For those shoppers interested in a full-size sedan, Toyota also saw a surge of shopper interest to its redesigned 2013 Avalon, showcasing the brand's positive response from consumers with its updated styling and features."

While Hyundai and Kia garnered tremendous success during the past few years, these brands dropped in shopper loyalty among KBB.com's new-car audience, which can be attributed to the lack of redesigns or refreshes in the last year from both Korean companies from key models. Hyundai continued its slow fall from No. 4 in Q4 2012 to No. 6 in Q1 2013, while Kia dropped from the No. 4 spot between Q4 2011 and Q2 2012 to the No. 7 position in Q1 2013.

"Hyundai is expected to regain shopper loyalty when the brand's best-selling Sonata is updated for 2014," said Anand. "Not only will the redesigned Sonata help it compete better with its rivals, but it also will catch the eye of new-car shoppers with its fuel economy and affordability."

Kelley Blue Book Market Intelligence examines shopper loyalty while consumers are still in the shopping phase. For this analysis, shopper loyalty is defined as owners of the brand who are currently shopping the same brand for their next new vehicle. This includes data from consumers who view a trade-in page or private party page, in addition to a new-car page on Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com.

For more information and news from Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com, visit www.kbb.com/media/, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/kelleybluebook (or @kelleybluebook), like our page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/kbb, and get updates on Google+ at https://plus.google.com/+kbb/.

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the only vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the industry. Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website www.kbb.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In and Suggested Retail Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new cars this week. The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies as well as governmental agencies. KBB.com provides consumer pricing and information on cars for sale, minivans, pickup trucks, sedan, hybrids, electric cars, and SUVs. Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of AutoTrader Group.

SOURCE Kelley Blue Book